News From Fort Schuyler
May 28, 2002 - Volume 6, No. 19
ONLY 102 MINUTES - The Sunday, May 26 issue of the New York Times contains
an extraordinary minute-by-minute chronology of the last 1 hour and 42
minutes of the World Trade Center, based on survivor accounts, e-mails,
phone messages, and videotapes. This four-page article, "Fighting to Live as
the Towers Died," provides details about the escape of American Bureau of
Shipping staff from the 91st floor of Tower 1 first noted in the October 3,
2001 edition of NFFS. According to the article, the ABS offices were three
floors below where American Airlines Flight 11 hit at 8:46 AM: "A powerful
shockwave quickly radiated up and down from the impact zone. The wave
bounced from the top to the bottom of the tower, three or four seconds one
way and then back, rocking the building like a huge boat in a storm. 'We got
to get the hell out of here,' yelled GREG SHARK [Class of 1976], an American
Bureau of Shipping engineer and architect, who was bracing himself in the
swaying while he stood outside Mr. McIntyre's [an ABS colleague] office.
Somehow, they were alive. Only later would the two men realize the slender
margin of their escape. In their accounts of hunting for a way out, they
provide a survey of a border territory, an impregnable zone through which
people imprisoned above would never pass." The article then details how Greg
and ten other ABS employees made their way to safety on that terrible day.
For the full story go to
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/26/nyregion/26WTC.html
IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING - Summer Sea Term 2002 news from ANDRE SLINTAK, Class
of 1994: "Just came back from a trip in New Orleans with my wife, Stacey.
Much to our surprise, we were taking a cab to our hotel on Sunday night and
over the roof tops I saw the Maritime College Seal on the stack of the
EMPIRE STATE VI tied up along Riverwalk. Ironically, I had just finished
telling Stacey that it was almost ten years ago to the day that I first
steamed into New Orleans on the ESVI. The time was about 0045 on Monday
actually and the 3/c cadets could be seen migrating back to the gangway
before curfew. In speaking with the 3/M whose name I have forgotten, much to
my embarrassment, I was happy to learn that there was a large contingent
from the Class of '94 onboard. From 2/c cadets ten years ago to watch
officers and instructors onboard this year's cruise I was proud to show my
wife the ESVI and say that I was also part of the Class of '94."
A DAY TO REMEMBER - The death of famous historian, WALTER LORD, on May 19,
reminded ERHARD KOEHLER, Class of 1987, that, as a newly minted alumnus, "I
had a very pleasant afternoon with Mr. Lord at a Maritime Industry Museum
reception way back in 1988." Lord pioneered the "minute-to-minute" technique
of reconstructions of historical events (used by the NY Times in the article
cited above) in his retelling of the sinking of the RMS TITANIC, "A Night to
Remember" and the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Day of Infamy." For an obituary
for Walter Lord go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/obituaries/21LORD.html
MUSEUM UPDATE - Not only was Erhard a tyro back in 1988, but the Maritime
Industry Museum itself was only in its second year of existence. It has come
a long way since then, notes Executive Director, ERIC JOHANSSON. He writes
that currently: "The museum is in the early stages of putting to bid the
construction of the USS ST MARYS, which will complete our Training Ship
wing." If you wish to donate toward this endeavor, or support the museum in
general, contact Eric at: administrator@maritimeindustrymuseum.org
PROGRESS ON THE POLITICAL FRONT - The coalition of alumni, parents, cadets,
campus staff and administrators who are promoting the idea of legislative
appointments of cadets to the Maritime College, can point to some progress.
According to the latest SUNY Systems 2002 Legislative Update
(http://www.sysadm.suny.edu/Gov_Relations/govupdat/legissum.pdf ) the State
Senate has passed the bill (S.1103-A) and the Assembly version (A.1074-A)
has been reported to the Ways & Means Committee. If passed and signed by the
Governor, the legislation would provide for 285 four-year scholarships: 2
per State Senator, 1 per Assembly member, and five each for the Governor and
Majority leaders. Now is the time for NY-based readers of NFFS to urge their
local State Assembly members to push for final passage and approval by
Governor Pataki of the Lavalle/Kaufman Legislative Appointments Bill.
U-BOATS SITED - A comprehensive site focusing on the 1939-1945 U-Boat War
can be found at http://uboat.net . There are many links to articles, photos,
and books written about the war from both the German and Allied sides. There
are also some active online forums at the website. (Thanks to Jane B.
Fitzpatrick, Associate Librarian at the Luce Library for the heads up for
this and the preceding item.)
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